The Busy Person’s Guide to Having Holiday Guests

Everything’s buzzing by swimmingly this holiday season for you until you receive the dreaded call (and we’re NOT talking about a political-esque robo caller)—out of town guests are headed your way. What should you do? We break it down by how much time you have to prepare so your holidays are happy and your guests feel at home (in your home!). This is the busy person’s guide to having holiday guests.

Holiday Guests ETA 1 Month or More

What considerate guests you have! If you’ve got the time, this prep will be a breeze. Take inventory of what you may need for your guests. Do you have adequate pillows, sheets, towels, blankets? Be sure to stock up on essentials like laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, and soap. Wash and change the sheets on your spare beds, and give your guest areas a good clean.
A couple of weeks out, start planning meals. One big problem with the holiday season is eating out may blow your budget and the scale. With a couple of weeks lead time, you can plan for easy dining in options with your guests; try one of these hearty freezable casseroles for a quick meal. Be sure to stock up on snacks, ice, drinks and breakfast items.
Although the pressure certainly shouldn’t be fully on you, as host you should have a few ideas socked away for fun things to do in the area. MostMetro makes planning local events easy. Just check their Events Calendar to find things to do that everyone will enjoy.

Holiday Guests ETA 3 Weeks or Less

This isn’t bad…you can handle this. Do the same inventory checks as above and see what meals you can prep in advance. These weeks will go fast, so keep to this cleaning schedule:
• 2 to 3 weeks out – Thoroughly clean your guest areas and close off any that you won’t need to use so they stay tidy.
• 1 week out – Deep clean your main living areas such as your kitchen and living room. Be sure to check the refrigerator for anything needing to be cleared.
• A few days in advance – Declutter the main living areas and vacuum, mop and sweep the floors. Wipe down the kitchen sink and/or the guest bath if it was used.
• The day before or of – Empty the trash and clean the litter box. Give the kitchen and guest areas a good look to make sure everything is in its place.

Holiday Guests ETA A Few Days or Less

Who does this(!!)? Removing all etiquette from the equation, you’ve got some deep breaths to take and some work to do. Any time you’ve got zero time to prepare for guests, focus on these essentials:
• Guest Bathroom – This should be your first and highest priority. Give the fixtures a good clean, the floor a quick sweep, and wash the hand towels/rugs, or hang fresh if you have them. Foaming cleaner that rinses away is your best friend in this case. Don’t forget to empty the trash and leave a couple of rolls of extra toilet paper out.
• Living Room – Pick up any clutter and tidy the sitting areas. Give the floor a quick vacuum if it is needed.
• Spare bedroom – Just stick to the essentials. Make the bed with fresh sheets and pick up any clutter or items you don’t wish guests to get into.
• Kitchen – Wipe down the counter and take out the trash. Speaking of the trash, if you have a litter box, be sure to clean it out and replace the litter before anyone arrives.
Most importantly, if you’re in an apartment community let the management know and arrange for any parking permits or passes necessary.
We hope this helps you, a very busy person, prep for any unexpected holiday guests in the season ahead. What’s your best holiday prep tip? Post it in the comments below.

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